# Tilak Weerasooriya

Tilak Richard Weerasooriya (Sinhala :තිලක් රිචඩ් වීරසූරිය) (20 November 1950 – 20 February 2022) was a Sri Lankan physician, academic, and professor emeritus. He was a pioneer in the field of Andrology in Sri Lanka.
He was also the former dean of the University of Ruhuna Faculty of Medicine, Senior Lecturer - University of Peradeniya (Anatomy - Faculty of Medicine), and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) - Kotelawala Defence University.

## Biography

Weerasooriya was born on 20 November 1950, in Gampola, to Maurice Weerasooriya (1907–1990), Chief Education Officer, and Emily Weerasooriya (1926–2017). He had 4 siblings, Nandani, Nisala, Deepa and Asoka Weerasooriya. He attended Richmond College, Galle for his primary & secondary education, and later entered the University of Peradeniya where he obtained his MBBS in 1977.
After completing his MBBS at the University of Peradeniya, Weerasooriya later joined Kyushu University's Department of Anatomy, Fukuoka, in the island of Kyushu in Japan, in order to obtain his PhD. His PhD was on the Micro vasculature of the testis, using electron microscopy. He specialised in Andrology.
During his career, Weerasooriya established Sri Lanka's first Andrology clinic, sperm bank, and IVF lab.
Weerasooriya died on 20 February 2022, aged 71.

## Personal life

Tilak married Mirani Weerasooriya in 1980, they had three children; Senal, Sahan and Semali.

## Selected publications

* Weerasooriya, Tilak R., and Torao Yaniamoto. "Three-dimensional organisation of the vasculature of the rat spermatic cord and testis." Cell and tissue research 241.2 (1985): 317–323.
* T.R. Weerasooriya, & Wattage, A. P. P. (1997). An analysis of the pregnancies that occurred following in-utero insemination.
* Ilayperuma, I., W. D. Ratnasooriya, and T. R. Weerasooriya. "Effect of Withania somnifera root extract on the sexual behaviour of male rats." Asian Journal of Andrology 4.4 (2002): 295–298.
* Weerasooriya, Tilak R. "Laboratory assistance in the management of infertility." (1997).
* Fernando, L., J. Gromoll, T. R. Weerasooriya, E. Nieschlag, and Manuela Simoni. "Y‐chromosomal microdeletions and partial deletions of the Azoospermia Factor c (AZFc) region in normozoospermic, severe oligozoospermic and azoospermic men in Sri Lanka." Asian journal of andrology 8, no. 1 (2006): 39–44.
* Weerasooriya, M. V., T. R. Weerasooriya, N. K. Gunawardena, W. A. Samarawickrema, and E. Kimura. "Epidemiology of bancroftian filariasis in three suburban areas of Matara, Sri Lanka." Annals of Tropical Medicine & Parasitology 95, no. 3 (2001): 263–273.
* Weerasooriya, M. V., E. Kimura, D. A. Dayaratna, T. R. Weerasooriya, and W. A. Samarawickrema. "Efficacy of a single dose treatment of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaria carriers with diethylcarbamazine in Matara, Sri Lanka." The Ceylon Medical Journal 43, no. 3 (1998): 151–155.
* Karunarathne, Y. A. U. D., L. D. A. M. Arawwawala, A. P. G. Amarasinghe, T. R. Weerasooriya, and U. K. A. Samarasinha. "Physicochemical, phytochemical, and nutritional profiles of root powder of Asparagus racemosus (Willd) of Sri Lankan origin." Asian J. Pharmacogn 3, no. 3 (2019): 29–35.
* Ilayperuma, I., W. D. Ratnasooriya, and T. R. Weerasooriya. "Methanol and water extracts of Withania somnifera roots has no abortifacient effect in rats." (2002).
* T.R Weerasooriya, and I. M. R. Goonewardene. "Sperm preparation and in utero insemination in the management of subfertility." Ceylon Medical Journal 41 (1996): 54–56.
* Fernando, H. H. L. K., R. Senevirathne, and T. R. Weerasooriya. "Can varicocelectomy Improve the Seminal Fluid Parameter Abnormalities?." (2012).
* Fernando, H. H. L. K., R. Senevirathne, P. M. Rodrigo, and T. R. Weerasooriya. "Can Clomiphene Citrate Improve the Quality of Seminal Fluid Parameters in Idipathic Oligoasthenoteratozoospermic Males." (2014).
* WEERASOORIYA, TR, and T. YAMAMOTO. "POSTNATAL-DEVELOPMENT AND THE 3-DIMENSIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE TESTICULAR LYMPHATICS IN THE RAT." In JOURNAL OF ELECTRON MICROSCOPY, vol. 35, no. 1, pp. 95–95. WALTON ST JOURNALS DEPT, OXFORD, ENGLAND OX2 6DP: OXFORD UNIV PRESS UNITED KINGDOM, 1986.
* Fernando, L., J. Gromoll, T. R. Weerasooriya, E. Nieschlag, and S. Simoni. "Frequency of Y-chromosome microdeletions and partial deletions of AZFc region in normozoospermic, severe oligozoospermic and azoospermic groups in Sri Lanka." In INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, vol. 28, pp. 92–92. COMMERCE PLACE, 350 MAIN ST, MALDEN 02148, MA USA: WILEY-BLACKWELL, 2005.
* Amarasinghe, D. M. Y., T. R. Weerasooriya, and I. M. R. Goonewardene. "Oocyte cryopreservation-a cost effective method."
Academic offices :
| Preceded by | Dean of the University of Ruhuna (Faculty of Medicine) | Succeeded byVasantha Devasiri |
| Preceded by | Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) of the Kotelawala Defence University | Succeeded byK.A.S.Dhammika |